1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

A publication of Trinity United Presbyterian Church
TOUCHSTONE
January 2015
Vol. 34 No. 1
Trinity United Presbyterian Church ● 79 W. Fayette Street, Uniontown, PA 15401
724-437-2709 ● www.trinityupc.net ● [email protected]
Dear Church Family:
As I sit here in Williamsburg to relax after a busy
December, I have to reflect on some highlights
over 2014. Somehow we all survived the crazy
winter early this year. January was an exciting
month because we welcomed Rev. Holslag to
Trinity. Admittedly, I was extremely nervous
about his arrival; that didn't last long. Rev.
Holslag has brought a huge new life to Trinity,
with his ideas, personality, and ability to pull us all
closer in our relationships to each other and God.
Rev. Holslag or "PT" (Pastor Tom) is a huge
blessing!
Lent and Easter: What an exciting time! We
moved our Lenten Taize services to the Chapel.
That gave us a closer and more intimate atmosphere. The choir worked hard and pulled off a
great musical offering of the Seven Last Words of
Christ on Palm Sunday. And Easter had a very
special and exciting feel this year.
Summer: So many people laugh and joke about
my traveling in the summer, thinking it's a big joy
ride. Well, it is, but it's also it's a lot of study,
work, and practice. Summer is the time for
breathing and relaxing; it's also the time to plan
the fall and Christmas. I did get away for two
weeks in July to travel with my former teacher
Sandee Folsom from Huntington, WV. (She celebrated her 48th year at her church this year.) We
always go to Harrisonburg, VA and Williamsburg,
VA where I always play at the historic Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg. It's time of
relaxing, shopping, trying new foods, and writing.
During that time, my friend Nell Clark in Abingdon, VA, where I lived before Uniontown, passed
away from pancreatic cancer. I was asked to return and play her Celebration of Life.
Not to let everyone think I'm just lazy and not doing anything in the summer, I also played 18 recitals on the East Coast and one in the Midwest and
was labeled by a paper in Chicago as a "young,
nationally-known musician"-- whatever that is
supposed to mean. Haha! It's exciting to give programs, travel, and meet new people.
Part of that traveling took me to Boston for the
national American Guild of Organist convention.
Session graciously made sure my registration was
paid and others helped to support this trip. The
week in Boston was INCREDIBLE! It was the
first time in a few years that I was able to be with
so many of my closest friends at the same time.
We attended some great workshops on things that
would only appeal to organists. Since my love is
French music, they had a plethora of clinics and
recitals given by some of the leading French
teachers. The recitals that were hosted were
among the best I've ever attended. We heard
Continued on page 6
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Our Fellowship
Happy Birthday!
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us
rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
1—James Laughner
16—Jane Walsh
2—Dorothy Breeden
17—Tanya Shaffer
6—John Barnhart
18—Nathan Maxwell
6—Kristin Williams
19—LeeAnn Spellman
6—Doug Yauger
23—Cooper Waligura
7—Sally Franks
25—Jake Cahn
14—Wade McMahon
29—Pam Porterfield
Happy
Anniversary
January 20
Carol & Donald Ashton
53 years
Trinity United Presbyterian Church ● 79 W. Fayette Street
Uniontown, PA 15401 ● Phone: 724-437-2709 ● Fax: 724-437-2700
www.trinityupc.net ● [email protected]
Reverend Tom Holslag, Interim Minister
Reverend Dr. John Sharp, Pastor Emeritus
Kyle Lively, Director of Music
Meg Thompson, Secretary
William Addis, Sexton
Prayer List
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Please especially pray for these:
Jan 5—11
Carol & Mark Clites, Randy & Michelle Borland, Bob, LeeAnn, Lauren, R.J., Jarred Spellman
Jan 12—18 John & Tonye Sharp, Craig Smith, Jane Walsh, Doug & Patty Yauger, Abigail Dowling
Jan 19—25 John & Diane Williams, Kyle Lively, Heather and Claire Needes, Reid Grove
Jan 26—Feb 1 Eric and Brooklyn Williams, Karen Young, Don & Nancy Stone, Arlene MacDonald
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Around the Church
Happy
New Year! I trust that everything went
reasonably well with your families over the Christmas holiday. And now that the New Year has begun I thought of a new challenge that might be
good for all us here at Trinity to embrace. Here is
my latest challenge. That over the course of 2015
that each of us invite an individual or a family to
check us out here at Trinity. In other words, invite
those folks or friends that might benefit from worshiping with us here at Trinity some Sunday. And
that also means that we need to remain spiritually
respectful and persistent in our invitation to
whomever the Holy Spirit might be leading us to
invite to church. Because if we can get our unchurched friends to worship on a Sunday morning,
hopefully some of them will want to become part
of the Trinity family down the road. For that’s
what we are to be about. To share the ’Good
News’ and the fellowship that we have here at
Trinity as Jesus’ disciples.
For it is not by accident that anyone of us is
here as part of the Trinity family. Because I know
it took a lot of prayer and faithful hard work on the
part of other devoted Christians to get me into the
church and finally to see my calling as a teaching
elder. And now it’s time for us to do our part.
I trust and pray that this will be a good year
for you and your family in whatever God is calling
you to do. Have a blessed winter and try to stay
warm by the fire. God’s blessings to each of you
in the coming year!
In Christ’s Service,
Rev. Tom Holslag—Interim Pastor
Because if we can get our unchurched friends to worship on
a Sunday morning, hopefully
some of them will want to become part of the Trinity family
down the road.
What’s coming up for Book Journey
Book Journey will kick off the new year with a discussion of Barbara Brown Taylor’s book A n A ltar in
the World: A Geography of Faith on Tuesday, January 6 at 7:00 p.m. In this work, Brown, a prolific
writer and noted theologian, “shares how she learned to find God beyond the church walls by embracing
the sacred as a natural part of everyday life,” and suggests how we might “learn to live with purpose,
pay attention, slow down, and revere the world we live in” (amazon.com). It sounds like we will pick
up some helpful pointers as we make our new year’s resolutions for 2015.
The group welcomes one-time visitors and new members to our congenial dis- It sounds like we will
cussions of books that inspire, entertain, and/or confound us. Please consider pick up some helpful
pointers as we make
joining us in the church parlor.
our new year’s reso-Jean Nass
lutions for 2015.
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Around the Church
Thank you Class of 2014!
Elders: Harry Albert, Doug Yauger, Jack Leone, Bill Long
Deacons: Linda King, Bill King, Bill Ulmer, Ellie Wallencheck
Auditor: Jim Carbin
Welcome Class of 2017!
Elders: JW Eddy, Vickie Leone, Ellen Ulmer, Trevor Waligura
Deacons: Angie Leone, Bill Long, John Sharp Jr., Doug Yauger
Auditor: Cherisse Waligura
We had a great year through the Mission Committee!!
Lots of coffee and candy
sales. Record setting 45 PDA kits!! New produce sales coupled with SERRV
sales equaled almost $700.00 of Thanksgiving dinners via PNC and Pittsburgh
Food Bank! And, we closed the year with a whole bunch of generosity—35 Children and Youth Services kids received lots of Christmas presents through Trinity.
This dish, prepared by Angie Leone’s boyfriend, was a hit at the Thanksgiving potluck! Pam Barnhart submitted his recipe to share.
Cheesy Corn
1 bag corn (drained)
2-8 oz. cream cheese (cubed)
6 slices American cheese
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together in the slow cooker for 4 hours on low.
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Outside Groups Meeting at TUPC
Church Calendar
NA
Mondays, 10:30 AM & 7PM
AA
Tuesdays, 7PM
Alanon Wednesdays, 8PM
NA
(Women) Wednesdays, 7PM
NA
Thursdays, 10:30AM
NA
Fridays, 10:30 AM &
(Men) 7PM
NA
Sun
4
Mon
5
10am Adult Sunday School
11am Worship
12pm Coffee Hour
11
Tue
6
7
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
8
9
10
10:00am Presbyterian Women
7pm Book Journey
12
13
10am Adult Sunday School
11am Worship
12pm Coffee Hour
18
Wed
Saturdays, 7:00PM
6:00 Bells
7:15 Choir
14
15
16
17
23
24
30
31
6:00 Bells
19
20
7pm Session
7:15 Choir
21
22
10am Adult Sun- Touchstone
Deadline
day School
11am Worship
12pm Coffee Hour
6:00 Bells
7:15 Choir
25
10am Adult Sunday School
11am Worship
12pm Coffee Fellowship
26
27
28
29
6:00 Bells
7:15 Choir
Human Trafficking Awareness Day: Sunday, January 11, 2015
The year 2015 marks the 152nd anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Because of the groundbreaking work
of our ancestors, slavery was outlawed in the United States. However the legacies of chattle slavery continue to
haunt our society even as we turn to face a new form of slavery: human trafficking. More than 20.9 million people
are estimated to work in conditions of forced labor world-wide according to the International Labour Organisation.
On January 11, consider marking human trafficking day with prayer.
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From the Music Ministry...
Continued from page 1
We have this wonderful hymnal,
and it’s chalked full with good
hymnody. We need to use it, not
just sing the same few we feel
comfortable singing.
world-class artists perform in some of the most beautiful churches. However, I still think our Trinity
is more beautiful than Trinity in Boston. We have Tiffany glass; they don't! I'll share some photos in
this article from that trip. I saw friends from Bruton Parish, Fred Swann and Mark Thallander from
the Crystal Cathedral, Garrett Martin formerly from Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, and many others. I took so much choral, organ, and pastoral knowledge back with me!
The fall brought some changes, as usual. There was a new feeling of great unity in the choir as we
welcomed some new friends. The choir worked hard this fall, made some great music, and really
sang a lot. We sang a great variety of pieces that I feel enhanced the service and reinforced the readings for the day. For you, the congregation, we welcomed a few new hymns. We have this wonderful
hymnal, and it's chalked full with good hymnody. We need to use it, not just sing the same few we
feel comfortable singing.
There were two really fun programs this fall. Several of my local friends joined me in a totally entertaining duet concert. It was well-attended and seemed to be much enjoyed. We hope to do a sequel
soon! Anthony Rispo, one of the young, exciting organists performing nationally performed at Trinity in September. He brought a new fresh style of programming to Trinity. He's said over and over
how great it was to perform here and how welcoming everyone was. That says a lot about Trinity!
Christmas was here in a flash! The choir, as a close group, worked the hardest I've seen on the 65th
Lessons and Carols and Christmas in general. It was so exciting to be asked to sing at the courthouse!
The evening was full of music and great times with our friends. At the end of the night, we sang carols in the rotunda singing Silent Night with the Bruderhoff-- it was magical. Lessons and Carols-what can I say for it? Everyone was so dedicated and worked hard. The congregation did a great job
of spreading the word. It was a real church effort that was so successful. Some friends joined from
Oberlin and Duquesne, in addition to our in-house friends. I can say how thankful and amazed I was
by the music that evening! It was a challenging program and some of the best music making I've
heard. This is the tightest and most dedicated I've seen a group; again, it's felt that way to me for the
first time this fall.
Christmas Eve was special to be with you all, my friends. I traveled home Christmas Day to see my
family and enjoy my 15-month-old niece Adyson. This week is relaxing in Williamsburg and performing at Bruton twice this week. But I'm ready to return and start 2015 with you!
With much thanks and love for 2014, let's kick-off 2015 with a bang!
Blessings,
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Tidings from the Tower
A Church History
Column
by Meg Thompson
“Trinity and America, 1927-1936”
Americans cheered for Charles Lindbergh as he made his first solo
trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, but just two years later all the cheering
stopped. The stock market crashed followed by the Great Depression. In the meantime at First Presbyterian Church, the Rev. William
Blake Hindman became the new pastor during the turmoil and carried the congregation through their tough times.
But all was not gloom and doom across the
nation. Women’s hemlines rose sharply to just
below the knee, and by 1930, women were
wearing trousers for golf and horseback riding.
Nylon was invented. The yo-yo was also introduced (but didn’t become popular until
1961). Shirley Temple became Hollywood’s top box office draw. Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Hoover and prohibition was repealed. The 1955 Social Security Act established unemployment compensation and retirement benefits for workers.
In Uniontown during this decade, a mine disaster at Mather claimed 196 lives,
the sunracer airliner crashed in the mountains near Dulaney’s Cave, and J.V.
Thompson died at his Oak Hill estate.
But life continued to march through the years. The Connellsville Airport was
built as a Public Works Administration project. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater was constructed by local workmen and craftsmen. George Marshall became General Marshall. And the American Legion held the first Americanism
Day parade in 1934 to combat the Communists’ plans to stage a May Day parade.
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Family Fun
One Ridiculously Easy & Rewarding Thing to Do For
the New Year!
Start on January 1st with an empty jar. Throughout the year
write the good things that happened to you on little pieces of
paper. On December 31st, open the jar and read all the amazing
things that happened to you that year.
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